HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 24

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Mimi Stewart

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 3, 2006 AS "WEAR RED FOR WOMEN DAY" IN THE LEGISLATURE.

     WHEREAS, heart disease is the nation's leading cause of death, and stroke is the nation's third leading cause of death; and

     WHEREAS, cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more than five hundred thousand American women each year, at a rate of approximately one death per minute; and

     WHEREAS, of the nation's deaths each year, fifty-three percent of women but only forty-six percent of men die from cardiovascular disease and forty thousand more women than men die from stroke; and

     WHEREAS, the direct and indirect costs of cardiovascular disease and stroke in the United States are projected to reach two hundred billion forty million dollars ($200,040,000,000) in 2006; and

     WHEREAS, more women die of cardiovascular disease than the next six leading causes of death combined, including all cancers; and

     WHEREAS, only thirteen percent of women consider cardiovascular disease to be their greatest health risk; and

     WHEREAS, February is designated as American heart month; and

     WHEREAS, the slogan "go red for women" is the American heart association's national call to increase awareness of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death for women, and to inspire women to take charge of their heart health;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 3, 2006 be proclaimed "Wear Red for Women Day" in recognition of the importance of the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature support the fight against women's heart disease and stroke by encouraging the wearing of red on February 3, 2006.

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